Woman Holding Baby Claims She Was Tased By Police; Officers Refute Story

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Two different stories from a West Baltimore neighborhood involving an accident during a police arrest. Witnesses say an officer tased a woman holding a baby, but police say that’s not how it happened.

Rochelle Ritchie has video of the incident.

The incident happened in the Gilmor Homes community. There is a surveillance camera posted there, but Baltimore City Police say they are not going to release the video.

WJZ spoke exclusively with the woman who says she was tased while holding a baby.

Shaky video shows the chaotic scene on Presbury Street at the Gilmor Homes community as several Baltimore City police officers attempt to make an arrest.

“Officers from the Western District, uniformed patrol officers, responded to the location as a result of narcotics activity,” said Dep. Comm. Jerry Rodriguez, Baltimore City Police.

What happened next sent bystanders into an uproar. A woman holding an 11-month child approaches police and then backs away. Moments later, you hear a taser go off. People scream “Grab the baby!”

Quansha Crooms says she is the woman in the video and was tased while holding her 11-month-old brother, Travon.

“First things, he pulled my hair for one. He pulled my hair, I stumbled over. He didn’t even say nothing. He straight tased me,” she said.

Baltimore City Police refute her story.

“The lady was not holding a baby at the time,” said Rodriguez.

Quansha and her mother, who says she was tased three times by officers–once in her stomach and twice in her back–say police showed no regard for the infant’s safety.

“My son, he was on the ground and my neighbor picked my son up off the ground. And he was crying,” said Jaquan Dye.

The deputy commissioner says he wants to get to the bottom of what happened and has visited the community.

“I personally sought out any witnesses. I let them know the purpose of us being there,” Rodriguez said.

Police do have surveillance video of the incident, but are not releasing it. They say they are investigating whether excessive force was used.